I think Frida could sing this now just as beautifully and with deeper emotion after all her heartbreaking losses. Her voice has held up and she would do a magnificent job.
One of the 'bonus tracks' is 'the day before you came'. It was their last single in 82. It didnt go wel in the charts but by now it is concidered one of their best. Hauntingly beautifull arrangement. Very original, very sad. I like to play that one very loud (and I cant keep it dry when on alcohol lol). A masterpiece!!
Frida spoke about this song on a radio interview (see TH-cam). She said Benny and her just finalized their divorce. Frida said she had Benny in mind when she recorded this song. She said it was very personal and emotional recording.
If you remember Slipping Through My Fingers ends with the ticking clock as that song is about how quickly time passes, this then flows into this song as just a calming intro and outro
Yeah, what a band. Every song is a journey just like this wonderful deep dive has been. There has never been a band like them before or since. Thanks Matt for this journey so far👍
a lot of folks want this played at their funeral. The death of a lover, a mother, a friend, Abba. It miraculously ties up all walks of life, in to one neat little package. We ALL go some time, until there is no more time. Love your detailed, and inspired analysis! Thank your for this awesome reaction video! !! 👍💅
This is yet another favourite track of mine from this album, which I have been listening to ever since the album was released. Just noticed today that Frida’s pronunciation of the word “half” in “Half awake and half in dreams” is first British then American! This is a very picturesque song in that the lyrics, instrumentation and vocals immediately give you a vivid picture of a woman alone in a room reflecting on a lost love. Very poignant. ❤
I can tell by your reaction during the song how it entered to you, how it moved you. It is indeed an impressive song in all its simplicity. Doing this ABBA-journey together with you is once again realizing how unique, how deepfull and how cheerful ABBA can be. I played this song on my mother’s funeral as well as on my cat’s Felix 1st funeral. It’s actually, once again, not a sad song but a song full of hope, full of thankfulness to life. Frida has this amazing voice and although Agnetha is not on this song (it’s between Benny and Frida), Agnetha contributed in her own way on this epic album The Visitors. I’m privileged to have known them from the start right back in 1974. This journey is taking me back to every moment I had when a new single or a new album came out. On LP! So once again, thanks for doing this and thank you for knowing so much more now on ABBA than the classics “Dancing Queen” or “Waterloo”. Have a nice day! Greetz from Brussels - Belgium.
I feel just the same as you! This journey of ABBA´s catalogue is so moving and uplifting - and emphasizes how great ABBA were - and still is! LOVE from one old ABBA fan to another! ❤
I like this song so much... Frida's work is beautiful ❤️. Great react, Matt, of this track and in the full album👍. See you in the bonus tracks.... ❤️🇨🇱👍
A fitting end to the album. The lyrics seem to look forward forty years to the 'voyage' album. ' So the present runs into the past, Now and then become entwined, Playing games within my mind'(1981, 'Like an Angel passing through my room'). 'I'm not the one you knew, I'm now and then combined, and I'm asking you to have an open mind, I won't be the same' (2021, 'Don't Shut me Down').
When I was young I listened to the Super Trouper album every day as it was on a band recorder. When I got older I discovered The Visitors album and was mesmerized by it. From begining (title track still my favourite) til the end. I listened to it over and over again. So much fun to watch your reactions to ABBA. Fun journey! But there still is one album to go, Voyage! Came out november 2021 with all new music. So…. Wait until you hear that one ;)
Listening to this song and thinking about that five years ago, they recorded something like Dum dum diddle. Their progress in that very short time is incredible.
What a way to end an album. Very haunting with just Frida’s vocals on the track and you can imagine this song playing while your in front of a fire on a cold winters night.
The ending of this album is so good! Among Benny Anderssons finest work and with really nice lyrics from Björn (especially the penultimate one). The Sirens get one song each to shine in. Agnetha in Slipping thru... and Frida in this one. The perfect ending of Abba album-wise (well for 40 years that is). This album is my favorite one with "The Visitor", "Slipping through My Fingers" and "Like an Angel Passing through My Room" as divine moments, but honestly I like all songs on this album. The next song? ("Should I laugh or Cry") ought to have been included in the original album, but who can blame Björn for wanting to sing a song aswell? I won´t 🙂 Nice reaction as always Matt! 👍 I hope that the studio demos of this last song (included on the deluxe version, "From a Twinkling Star to a Passing Angel) is in your coming material. it is such an exciting look into their different thought processes and versions of this song. Benny has said that he wasn´t sure that they went with the right choise for the album. I disagree with Maestro Andersson on that one. ( some other versions are really good though 😊) BUT, This is THE Version.
Yes, Should I Laugh Or Cry is really good! And so harsh and brutal in the lyrics: "Strange how indifferent I have grown - cold as a stone" Frida sings so stongly! Look forward to Matts reaction to that and the next songs! 🎶🎵🎼
I've been reminded that Frida opens & closes "The Visitors". Maybe its the EQ on your stereo but I don't think I've noticed the ticking as loudly before? Might be just me noticing. I first heard this in the 1990s on CD (being 11 when it came out I couldn't buy the record myself) and was fairly blown away by it. Absolutey sublime singing by Frida. Of course it had a greater finality to it when we thought that was the last track off their last album. I believe that Elvis Costello once said that "Like an Angel" is his favourite ABBA song.
This is my favourite track on the album. I know some say it doesn't go anywhere, but to me it does, right into the mind of someone who has lost another. That ticking clock is life itself, it starts and it ends...for everyone. I can picture that scene so clearly in those lyrics, like the ticking clock the embers also die, the imagery is layered to perfection. All of this is wrapped up in exquisite voice of Frida. As I have said before, this is my 'Christmas song', and always will be. By the way Matt, Frida's early solo work shows her versatile vocal range, including Jazz.
Exactly my words! So beautiful and moving! I always loved it - but it meant so much more to me when I lost both my parents within a few months! It reflects life - and is so meaningful to me! ❤️
That voice! So beautiful. This must be the most beautiful Abba song of the whole lot. Love was one prolonged goodbye.... It's amazing how one singer can create two vastly different atmospheres, in this song and The Visitors. So glad you like that one too! Give this one a few more spins and I'm pretty sure these two'll become your alltime favourites. Well, maybe The Day Before You Came thrown in as well, and Cassandra of course . 🙂
"Yeah but wait until you hear......"😂 At this point, there are no more "mega-hits" to come from this fabulous foursome. But there IS one more genuine masterpiece. And, as only ABBA can do, it's not like anything you've heard from them before.
A song they just couldn’t get right (until the final version). From nursery rhyme to full on disco and all inbetween. One of the hardest recordings to perfect. Hopefully you’ll hear the demo medley in your batch of bonus tracks. Talking of bonus tracks, there’s only one B-side for this era. The other tracks you’ll have are from 1982. Two singles, two B sides and maybe an unreleased track that first saw the light of day in 1993
Too bad it's over already. A brilliant, furious beginning and a touching farewell to a great album with so many musical and vocal surprises. Always a pleasure to hear, and staged and recognized by you so empathetically.👍 I'm looking forward to "The day before you came". Spoiler alert: Something unprecedented in the Abba repertoire and perhaps in the music world as well, that never fails to impress me.
“Love was one prolonged goodbye…”. Like i said before, always bet on melancholy 😜 A beautiful track, quite sunning. If they'd ended their career with this as the closer i'd have been more than content, but there are a couple of singles yet to go. One is one of their finest (the B side too) but sadly their final single was lacklustre to say the least. IMHO, obvs. And then there's the album Voyage, and those reactions are going to be -very- interesting 😁 Thanks, Matt, this has been great fun.
It's like lullaby or listening little music box. Very suitable ending for the original album. Even the record is still good production, You can feel they are bit tired even according themselves, resulting was their last studio album at that point.
Thanks Matt over the last few weeks with the abba reactions you've brought happy warm memories to the fore. As an original abba fan, it pleases me that new listeners can appreciate their genius, meaning their music will move on through future generations. Weird how music acts as a sponge that captures moments in time so you can revisit times gone by. Looking forward to joining you on the omd and other 80s British synth acts that tend to be overlooked...😊
Hi, Matt! As you know, I've been an ABBA fan for over 40 years, and I am really excited for you to hear the bonus tracks from "The Visitors." I just want to give you a heads up, from my experience listening to the songs for the first time many years ago. I found this description about "Cassandra." "This beautiful and tragic song is about the Fall of Troy. Its title is the name of the Trojan princess and prophetess, Cassandra. Apollo fell in love with her once and gave her the gift of prophecy. But she spurned his love, and to punish her (since he could not take back his gift) Apollo decreed that no one would ever believe Cassandra's predictions." Of course, you may feel that the song can be a metaphor for something more general as well; however, learning that Cassandra was an actual figure in Greek mythology helped me understand the song a little better. I found it very difficult to decipher the lyrics to "Should I Laugh or Cry" and "I Am the City" upon first listen. I know you like to read the lyrics after hearing the song the first time, but before the internet, it took me years to figure out was ABBA was saying! LOL. Looking forward to continuing the ABBA journey with you, Matt!
Same here, I struggled to hear the lyrics too! To be honest, I think it was symptomatic of the slight weariness and lack of enthusiasm to record more tracks. A 'break' was needed for the group.
Like all of your comments. Big thumbs up!! Here is a list of Abba tracks not initially included on the Visitors - the last one being unreleaswd until the 90s: Should I laugh or cry The day before you came Cassandra Under Attack You owe me one I am the city
The last five ones plus the legendary unreleased 'Just like that' were recorded for the next Abba album that would have been the follow up to 'The Visitors' to be release d in late 1982 but wasn't completec so it never happened.
All of them except of SILOC remained standalone tracks for the supposedly next album.ABBA recorded their very last song 'ever' in August 1982.That was "The Day before You came' with the lights dimmed in the studio during the recording (according to what their sound engineer once stated )and atmoshere was cold and desperately sad.Then the 'tickin of the clock' ceased , everything frozed and a hiatus of almost 40 years followed until the unexpected happened....
Long awaited darkness falls Casting shadows on the walls In the twilight hour I am alone Sitting near the fireplace, dying embers warm my face In this peaceful solitude All the outside world subdued Everything comes back to me again In the gloom Like an angel passing through my room Half awake and half in dreams Seeing long forgotten scenes So the present runs into the past Now and then become entwined, playing games within my mind Like the embers as they die Love was one prolonged good-bye And it all comes back to me tonight In the gloom Like an angel passing through my room I close my eyes And my twilight images go by All too soon Like an angel passing through my room
I just found this short interview with Frida from 2009, and at 3:56 she talks about Like An Angel Passing.... and what she felt at that time and with that song! Very interesting! th-cam.com/video/u5TKATW0ZaI/w-d-xo.html
Woo-hoo, my first time watching you reacting to ABBA. The only way I can endure their music is in the movie "Muriel's Wedding" - with two exceptions: I love this hauntingly beautiful song which had played in my head all evening after only reading the title yesterday (I had not listened to it in years), and I adore "The Day Before You Came", one of the greatest songs of all time. It's just perfect. I have heard Madonna's version of "Like An Angel Passing ..." but it lacks the magic of the original version, and far far further down the Roxette deep dive there will be a song called "Angel Passing" (from 2012) which to my ears is heavily influenced by this one. Matt, make sure you'll get to hear "The Day Before You Came". It was released on 1982's compilation album "The Singles: The First Ten Years".
German punk diva Nina Hagen has also done this in a German Abba tributetv show.Her version is also dark-great. th-cam.com/video/s7BRhH4GnV4/w-d-xo.html
@@christianoazzuro6711 Oh, wow. Much better than I thought it would be. I love the NINA HAGEN BAND album from '78. Whatever came afterwards has been more miss than hit for my taste. Way over the top most of the times, so I'm impressed how gentle she was able to handle this song.
@@sebzematik You lked it?!Well her version is coloured with more 'theatrical drama".I do love her performance too.I know NH is very peculiar and not so keen to my 'less underground less artistic ears' lol.But her vocal skills (either its audio or live ) are really super great , no doubt about it.
@@christianoazzuro6711 Yeah, I liked it. Usually she's overdoing it with all that theatrical drama, facial expressions and yodelling, so it was nice to see and hear this one.
Madonna recorded this song for ‘Music’, produced by William Orbit. Ultimately unreleased, but it can be found on TH-cam if curious minds are interested in hearing.
When it came out, I was a little taken aback by this album. I liked all the songs to different degrees but I missed the ABBA sound, the third voice produced by the common singing of Agnetha and Frida. Like an angel passing through my room moves me much more today than at the time and as soon as Frida begins "I close my eyes", I am close to tears and I have goosebumps. Some covers of other artists are interesting: Anne Sophie von Otter with Master Benny himself at the piano th-cam.com/video/9l-G4fcoKdg/w-d-xo.html Sissel Mormon Tabernacle Choir th-cam.com/video/V_MAAS3nOX0/w-d-xo.html Nina Hagen th-cam.com/video/s7BRhH4GnV4/w-d-xo.html Madonna th-cam.com/video/fWQTR51hqsk/w-d-xo.html
It is getting more and more exiting! You - and we - are approaching your reactions to the comeback album of ABBA - Voyage from 2021! Can´t wait for tour opinion on that, Matt! But before we get to that - I guess the next songs you will react to, are: Should I Laugh Or Cry - the B-side of One Of Us. And songs ment for the 9th ABBA album - which never came: The Day Before You came - a single from 1982 Cassandra - the B-side of The Day Before.... Under Attack - ABBA´s last single (before their comeback) You Owe Me One - the B-side of Under Attack¨ - and perhaps the last one?: I Am The City - not released until 1994 on the compilation album "More ABBA GOLD". I always love your reaction videos - so genuine and thorough! ❤
I like the song cos of the calm atmosphere bathing the song. I love it because I can connect to the lyrics as a poet than I am. The song is poetry set to music. Elements of the poetry "dieing embers warming her face"- dead logs producing heat to warm her cold face - , "an angel passing through her room of gloom"- angels represent beauty, excellence and divinity- "though she is alone and the outside world is quiet and silent (subdued ) she calls it peaceful solitude" As a poet, I guess the lyrics speak to Regeneration of life. When One thing is gone, that it is not really gone, it is still there but has turned into something different from its original nature, always serving complementary purposes. Darkness casts shadows(fear and ugliness) that she notices in the twilight hour (a glimmer of hope ). The death of logs (sadness and grief ) being reborn into fire, light and warmth (comfort and peace). Madonna did a cover of the song with a much more uptempo beat. Also some orchestral bands have covered the song and gave it a more theatrical quality.
A great song even Madonna covered it . One of the bonus tracks has to do with this song . It’s all the process, leading vocals , rythms and working titles it went through ( like all the songs went as well) . Since Benny and Bjorn doesn’t know how to read music Bjorn made quick lyrics in English and gave them a working title just so they remember which song they were working on . In this case they entitled this process “from a twinkling star to a passing Angel” cos one of the stages used twinkle twinkle little star lyrics .
Hi Matt, just wanted to say that they recorded so many different versions of this song, one were with a faster beat and with some harmonies by Agnetha, and also a slower version with backing vocals and and with ominous syth background almost like this. A friend of mine was obsessed with this album and played I Let The Music Speak a couple of times in a row, it was on vinyl and just got up, lift the tone arm and started over.
Hi Matt it’s me popping up again! I haven’t been following your ABBA journey but am a real lover of their music too and when this review caught my eye I had to stop to hear your reaction. It’s one of my all time favourite ABBA songs sung alone by Frida…the only one of their compositions written for a solo voice…as Sissel Kyrkjebo explains on this equally thrilling soprano cover version. th-cam.com/video/J9GSbXsNNe0/w-d-xo.html I really love both versions equally…..💖
So happy to see again with your complete review to the #8 ABBA album "The Visitors" (1981) is an album in difficult context due to the separation of Benny & Frida with no biggest hits like the others and more deep lyrics it's called the 'dark side of ABBA' my favorite song is the most emotional: "Slipping through my fingers" with a fantastic lyrics and a beautiful voice of Agnetha in leads (live at Dick Cavett is more beautiful too) followed by the heartbroken song "One of us" (the last Top10 to ABBA in UK, until "Don't shut me down" in 2021) and another good songs: "The visitors" (great opening) "Head over heels" (funny and underrated, with a crazy official video) "When all is said and done" (single in U.S.) I don't like "Two for the price of one" and in my personal opinion "Like an angel passing through my room" isn't like an ABBA song without the two ladies and I think that could be included. "should I laugh or cry" For many fans here is their best album In my opinion is 7pts, good and mature, but not in my Top5 of all ABBA albums: The Album & Arrival (+8pts) ABBA, Super Trouper & Voyage (7,5pts) P.S.: not included in my opinion all the bonus tracks, that are B-sides or singles in 1982, and could be part of an unreleased new album in 1982 or 1983
I understand you are so close to the end of ABBA’s initial roster of songs. The resulting 39 years, to the average listener, may be considered a huge void but of course anyone who knows ABBA knows that musical output continued by all 4 members for some time to come. I’m not advising you to delve into the girls solo work. It simply does not have the substance that you’ve become accustomed to in your journey. But I would love you to experience a few highlights of where the boys went with their musical genius. 3 songs from the Chess soundtrack come to mind. I consider them to be significant songs in the Bjorn and Benny musical resume. They are simply masterpieces. Pity the Child, Anthem, and Nobody’s Side. They have the power to make your heart swell, your eyes tear, and your skin tingle. In one word, they are BRILLIANT…….and to some degree they put The Visitors into context. When you understand the ideas and concepts that must have been percolating beneath the surface within the boys musical machine……I don’t know……things click. While most of the audience considers The Visitors as a grand swan song it becomes to appear more as a stepping stone or baby step up to what happens next. And what happens next is hugely more mature and spectacular. And then there is the question what happens after Chess? Well, the boys go back to the drawing board and for the most part write and record the missing ABBA album of the 90s. Everything is there……the in-bred child of Dancing Queen and Gimme Gimme Gimme in the form of Midnight Dancer. The sad protagonist of Knowing Me Knowing You becomes untouchable on Surprise Surprise, and we get the sequel to The Day Before You Came with The Film Id Like to See. The unfortunate caveat is that Frida and Agnetha declined to participate and instead the songs are given to Josefin Nillson and the album is called Shapes. Hey, listen…….there’s no way around it…..this is the missing ABBA album. This is what could have been. This deserves a place in the ABBA chronicles. It is so representative of the heart and backbone of ABBA. That being, the songs.
Interesting views, and Shapes? I'd have to finally give in and have a listen of it... One song I do seriously miss from your Chess list is Where I want to be, plus add Quartet without a doubt. Not that there aren't other interesting songs here and there, but not so overt ABBA comparisons, that great is their legacy. Best
I love this song and Frida`s sound singing it. You might find this interesting, a demo of them trying doing this song different ways: th-cam.com/video/5Pceu098Qds/w-d-xo.html The version beginning at 2:47 sounds really nice.
I think this is quite beautiful and as with a number of tunes on the visitors, the passage of time is a strong theme. When Abba released snippets of the alturnative versions of this song the disco version was the superior one in my opinion but Bjorn and Benny said it would be like treading old ground as it was like Lay all your love on me. BTW the next song to listen to is should I laugh or cry ... the other songs were recorded the following year for an album that they never completed but included a couple of corkers.
@discogareth - Frida sings parts from the second verse. Benny and Bjorn have said that Like An Angel Passing Through My Room is the only ABBA song to feature just one voice Disillusion is a bl00dy dreadful, drippy song anyway
Honesty... these is one of a few ABBA songs that I don't like so much (5pts) it's only Frida with her great voice, but alone , without chorus .... is like a song for a soloist, not for a group I know that The Visitors album (1981) is experimental, but in these album I prefer other songs, like : Slipping through my fingers One of us , The Visitors I see you in next ABBA vídeo GOD bless you My best regards from Buenos Aires Argentina 🇦🇷 South America
This one caused them difficulty. Three different version and versions within versions. On one of the later re-releases of The Visitors they have the three versions strung together to show its evolution as a bonus track. In the end it was much paired back to this released version. Does it work? For me, no. Again, it's one of their more experimental type tracks. The issue for me is it really doesn't go anywhere or amount to anything and remains not much more than a curiosity. Frida didn't like her vocal and Agnetha doesn't think much of it as a song either. I think it would sit quite fine as a bridge piece in one of their musicals, but as a standalone pop song, it just doesn't amount to much-for me.
@@mobychima1087 The Complete Recording Sessions by Carl Magnus Palm. Agnetha says the track left the listener 'waiting for something that never comes". Frida says "it turned out OK but it's not a favourite".
I have to admit that I'm not really a big fan of Carl Gustav Palm and his books. I would like to know he ever personally talked to the band members or he used the media and their friends as sources for his books.
I think Frida could sing this now just as beautifully and with deeper emotion after all her heartbreaking losses. Her voice has held up and she would do a magnificent job.
This is the only song where Frida sings solo and i love it ... I love her so much ❤ and this album The Visitors wow a Masterpiece PERIOD
Fridas voice FANTASTIC ... ❤❤❤❤
There is a beautiful early version of this song called Another Morning Without You which is very beautiful.
A beautiful piece with a Dark. Atmosphere surrounding it ? . Amazing ❤❤❤❤
I think this is such a beautiful and moving song in all its simplicity! Frida shines in it and shows her versatality! ❤️
One of the 'bonus tracks' is 'the day before you came'. It was their last single in 82. It didnt go wel in the charts but by now it is concidered one of their best. Hauntingly beautifull arrangement. Very original, very sad. I like to play that one very loud (and I cant keep it dry when on alcohol lol). A masterpiece!!
Frida spoke about this song on a radio interview (see TH-cam). She said Benny and her just finalized their divorce. Frida said she had Benny in mind when she recorded this song. She said it was very personal and emotional recording.
If you remember Slipping Through My Fingers ends with the ticking clock as that song is about how quickly time passes, this then flows into this song as just a calming intro and outro
I get chills everytime I hear this.....a work of genius.....Ireland 🇮🇪 loves ABBA...
Yeah, what a band. Every song is a journey just like this wonderful deep dive has been. There has never been a band like them before or since. Thanks Matt for this journey so far👍
Frida really shines on this 1981 classic, Really love that Metronome ticking clock.
a lot of folks want this played at their funeral. The death of a lover, a mother, a friend, Abba. It miraculously ties up all walks of life, in to one neat little package. We ALL go some time, until there is no more time. Love your detailed, and inspired analysis! Thank your for this awesome reaction video! !! 👍💅
This is yet another favourite track of mine from this album, which I have been listening to ever since the album was released. Just noticed today that Frida’s pronunciation of the word “half” in “Half awake and half in dreams” is first British then American!
This is a very picturesque song in that the lyrics, instrumentation and vocals immediately give you a vivid picture of a woman alone in a room reflecting on a lost love. Very poignant. ❤
I can tell by your reaction during the song how it entered to you, how it moved you. It is indeed an impressive song in all its simplicity. Doing this ABBA-journey together with you is once again realizing how unique, how deepfull and how cheerful ABBA can be. I played this song on my mother’s funeral as well as on my cat’s Felix 1st funeral. It’s actually, once again, not a sad song but a song full of hope, full of thankfulness to life. Frida has this amazing voice and although Agnetha is not on this song (it’s between Benny and Frida), Agnetha contributed in her own way on this epic album The Visitors. I’m privileged to have known them from the start right back in 1974. This journey is taking me back to every moment I had when a new single or a new album came out. On LP! So once again, thanks for doing this and thank you for knowing so much more now on ABBA than the classics “Dancing Queen” or “Waterloo”. Have a nice day! Greetz from Brussels - Belgium.
I feel just the same as you! This journey of ABBA´s catalogue is so moving and uplifting - and emphasizes how great ABBA were - and still is! LOVE from one old ABBA fan to another! ❤
An epic end for an epic album. Best regards.
A masterpiece ❤
I like this song so much...
Frida's work is beautiful ❤️.
Great react, Matt, of this track and in the full album👍.
See you in the bonus tracks....
❤️🇨🇱👍
A fitting end to the album. The lyrics seem to look forward forty years to the 'voyage' album. ' So the present runs into the past,
Now and then become entwined, Playing games within my mind'(1981, 'Like an Angel passing through my room').
'I'm not the one you knew, I'm now and then combined, and I'm asking you to have an open mind, I won't be the same' (2021, 'Don't Shut me Down').
And: "I still have faith in you - I see it now. Through all these years that faith lives on somehow"! ❤️
@@flemmingkristoffersen1896 Chills...
The Day Before You Came is ABBA’s best song. Can’t wait for you to react to it.
When I was young I listened to the Super Trouper album every day as it was on a band recorder. When I got older I discovered The Visitors album and was mesmerized by it. From begining (title track still my favourite) til the end. I listened to it over and over again. So much fun to watch your reactions to ABBA. Fun journey! But there still is one album to go, Voyage! Came out november 2021 with all new music. So…. Wait until you hear that one ;)
Listening to this song and thinking about that five years ago, they recorded something like Dum dum diddle. Their progress in that very short time is incredible.
I love Frida's voice! I don't often play ABBA but I do like the two 80's solo records by Frida a lot. Madonna recorded this song too btw!
Save yourself an ear bleed. Don’t listen to madonna’s version.
What a way to end an album. Very haunting with just Frida’s vocals on the track and you can imagine this song playing while your in front of a fire on a cold winters night.
The ending of this album is so good! Among Benny Anderssons finest work and with really nice lyrics from Björn (especially the penultimate one).
The Sirens get one song each to shine in. Agnetha in Slipping thru... and Frida in this one.
The perfect ending of Abba album-wise (well for 40 years that is).
This album is my favorite one with "The Visitor", "Slipping through My Fingers" and "Like an Angel Passing through My Room" as divine moments, but honestly
I like all songs on this album.
The next song? ("Should I laugh or Cry") ought to have been included in the original album, but who can blame Björn for wanting to sing a song aswell? I won´t 🙂
Nice reaction as always Matt! 👍
I hope that the studio demos of this last song (included on the deluxe version, "From a Twinkling Star to a Passing Angel) is in your coming material. it is such an exciting look into
their different thought processes and versions of this song. Benny has said that he wasn´t sure that they went with the right choise for the album.
I disagree with Maestro Andersson on that one. ( some other versions are really good though 😊)
BUT, This is THE Version.
Yes, Should I Laugh Or Cry is really good! And so harsh and brutal in the lyrics: "Strange how indifferent I have grown - cold as a stone" Frida sings so stongly! Look forward to Matts reaction to that and the next songs! 🎶🎵🎼
Thanks Matt. This song moves me to tears. Great critique of this song. Subbed❤❤🤘🤘🫂🫂🏴🏴
I've been reminded that Frida opens & closes "The Visitors". Maybe its the EQ on your stereo but I don't think I've noticed the ticking as loudly before? Might be just me noticing. I first heard this in the 1990s on CD (being 11 when it came out I couldn't buy the record myself) and was fairly blown away by it. Absolutey sublime singing by Frida. Of course it had a greater finality to it when we thought that was the last track off their last album. I believe that Elvis Costello once said that "Like an Angel" is his favourite ABBA song.
This is my favourite track on the album. I know some say it doesn't go anywhere, but to me it does, right into the mind of someone who has lost another. That ticking clock is life itself, it starts and it ends...for everyone. I can picture that scene so clearly in those lyrics, like the ticking clock the embers also die, the imagery is layered to perfection. All of this is wrapped up in exquisite voice of Frida. As I have said before, this is my 'Christmas song', and always will be. By the way Matt, Frida's early solo work shows her versatile vocal range, including Jazz.
Exactly my words! So beautiful and moving! I always loved it - but it meant so much more to me when I lost both my parents within a few months! It reflects life - and is so meaningful to me! ❤️
The older I get, the more emotional I feel when I hear this track.@@flemmingkristoffersen1896
That voice! So beautiful. This must be the most beautiful Abba song of the whole lot. Love was one prolonged goodbye.... It's amazing how one singer can create two vastly different atmospheres, in this song and The Visitors. So glad you like that one too! Give this one a few more spins and I'm pretty sure these two'll become your alltime favourites. Well, maybe The Day Before You Came thrown in as well, and Cassandra of course . 🙂
"Yeah but wait until you hear......"😂
At this point, there are no more "mega-hits" to come from this fabulous foursome. But there IS one more genuine masterpiece. And, as only ABBA can do, it's not like anything you've heard from them before.
Frida,s voice 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
A song they just couldn’t get right (until the final version). From nursery rhyme to full on disco and all inbetween. One of the hardest recordings to perfect. Hopefully you’ll hear the demo medley in your batch of bonus tracks. Talking of bonus tracks, there’s only one B-side for this era. The other tracks you’ll have are from 1982. Two singles, two B sides and maybe an unreleased track that first saw the light of day in 1993
Simply pure magic x
Nina Hagen and Madonna among others covered this hauntingly beautiful album and career ending master piece.
The Visitors is also my favorite track, but this is such a beautiful ending to the album, dreamy, spiritual, beautiful.
Also looking forward to your reactions to the other bonus tracks
Stunningly beautiful!
Such beautiful and calming song. Good way to end this wonderful album. Thank you Matt.
Too bad it's over already. A brilliant, furious beginning and a touching farewell to a great album with so many musical and vocal surprises. Always a pleasure to hear, and staged and recognized by you so empathetically.👍 I'm looking forward to "The day before you came". Spoiler alert: Something unprecedented in the Abba repertoire and perhaps in the music world as well, that never fails to impress me.
Hmm, and what can that be...!
Incredible beautifull!! By the way Madonna made a cover of this song
A haunting one... Frida's velvet voice. Omg. ❤❤
“Love was one prolonged goodbye…”. Like i said before, always bet on melancholy 😜
A beautiful track, quite sunning. If they'd ended their career with this as the closer i'd have been more than content, but there are a couple of singles yet to go. One is one of their finest (the B side too) but sadly their final single was lacklustre to say the least. IMHO, obvs.
And then there's the album Voyage, and those reactions are going to be -very- interesting 😁
Thanks, Matt, this has been great fun.
It's like lullaby or listening little music box. Very suitable ending for the original album. Even the record is still good production, You can feel they are bit tired even according themselves, resulting was their last studio album at that point.
Thanks Matt over the last few weeks with the abba reactions you've brought happy warm memories to the fore.
As an original abba fan, it pleases me that new listeners can appreciate their genius, meaning their music will move on through future generations.
Weird how music acts as a sponge that captures moments in time so you can revisit times gone by.
Looking forward to joining you on the omd and other 80s British synth acts that tend to be overlooked...😊
Hi, Matt! As you know, I've been an ABBA fan for over 40 years, and I am really excited for you to hear the bonus tracks from "The Visitors." I just want to give you a heads up, from my experience listening to the songs for the first time many years ago.
I found this description about "Cassandra." "This beautiful and tragic song is about the Fall of Troy. Its title is the name of the Trojan princess and prophetess, Cassandra. Apollo fell in love with her once and gave her the gift of prophecy. But she spurned his love, and to punish her (since he could not take back his gift) Apollo decreed that no one would ever believe Cassandra's predictions." Of course, you may feel that the song can be a metaphor for something more general as well; however, learning that Cassandra was an actual figure in Greek mythology helped me understand the song a little better.
I found it very difficult to decipher the lyrics to "Should I Laugh or Cry" and "I Am the City" upon first listen. I know you like to read the lyrics after hearing the song the first time, but before the internet, it took me years to figure out was ABBA was saying! LOL.
Looking forward to continuing the ABBA journey with you, Matt!
Same here, I struggled to hear the lyrics too! To be honest, I think it was symptomatic of the slight weariness and lack of enthusiasm to record more tracks. A 'break' was needed for the group.
Like all of your comments. Big thumbs up!!
Here is a list of Abba tracks not initially included on the Visitors - the last one being unreleaswd until the 90s:
Should I laugh or cry
The day before you came
Cassandra
Under Attack
You owe me one
I am the city
The last five ones plus the legendary unreleased 'Just like that' were recorded for the next Abba album that would have been the follow up to 'The Visitors' to be release d in late 1982 but wasn't completec so it never happened.
All of them except of SILOC remained standalone tracks for the supposedly next album.ABBA recorded their very last song 'ever' in August 1982.That was "The Day before You came' with the lights dimmed in the studio during the recording (according to what their sound engineer once stated )and atmoshere was cold and desperately sad.Then the 'tickin of the clock' ceased , everything frozed and a hiatus of almost 40 years followed until the unexpected happened....
Long awaited darkness falls
Casting shadows on the walls
In the twilight hour I am alone
Sitting near the fireplace, dying embers warm my face
In this peaceful solitude
All the outside world subdued
Everything comes back to me again
In the gloom
Like an angel passing through my room
Half awake and half in dreams
Seeing long forgotten scenes
So the present runs into the past
Now and then become entwined, playing games within my mind
Like the embers as they die
Love was one prolonged good-bye
And it all comes back to me tonight
In the gloom
Like an angel passing through my room
I close my eyes
And my twilight images go by
All too soon
Like an angel passing through my room
Such great and moving lyrics to a beautiful song, and interpreted with so much emotion by Frida! Love it! ❤️
Goosebumps 🔥🔥🔥🙏
I just found this short interview with Frida from 2009, and at 3:56 she talks about Like An Angel Passing.... and what she felt at that time and with that song! Very interesting!
th-cam.com/video/u5TKATW0ZaI/w-d-xo.html
Woo-hoo, my first time watching you reacting to ABBA. The only way I can endure their music is in the movie "Muriel's Wedding" - with two exceptions: I love this hauntingly beautiful song which had played in my head all evening after only reading the title yesterday (I had not listened to it in years), and I adore "The Day Before You Came", one of the greatest songs of all time. It's just perfect.
I have heard Madonna's version of "Like An Angel Passing ..." but it lacks the magic of the original version, and far far further down the Roxette deep dive there will be a song called "Angel Passing" (from 2012) which to my ears is heavily influenced by this one.
Matt, make sure you'll get to hear "The Day Before You Came". It was released on 1982's compilation album "The Singles: The First Ten Years".
German punk diva Nina Hagen has also done this in a German Abba tributetv show.Her version is also dark-great.
th-cam.com/video/s7BRhH4GnV4/w-d-xo.html
@@christianoazzuro6711 Oh, wow. Much better than I thought it would be. I love the NINA HAGEN BAND album from '78. Whatever came afterwards has been more miss than hit for my taste. Way over the top most of the times, so I'm impressed how gentle she was able to handle this song.
@@sebzematik You lked it?!Well her version is coloured with more 'theatrical drama".I do love her performance too.I know NH is very peculiar and not so keen to my 'less underground less artistic ears' lol.But her vocal skills (either its audio or live ) are really super great , no doubt about it.
@@christianoazzuro6711 Yeah, I liked it. Usually she's overdoing it with all that theatrical drama, facial expressions and yodelling, so it was nice to see and hear this one.
Madonna recorded this song for ‘Music’, produced by William Orbit. Ultimately unreleased, but it can be found on TH-cam if curious minds are interested in hearing.
The ticking clock starts immediately after Slipping Through My Fingers. To me, I feel both these songs are bound together.
When it came out, I was a little taken aback by this album. I liked all the songs to different degrees but I missed the ABBA sound, the third voice produced by the common singing of Agnetha and Frida.
Like an angel passing through my room moves me much more today than at the time and as soon as Frida begins "I close my eyes", I am close to tears and I have goosebumps.
Some covers of other artists are interesting:
Anne Sophie von Otter with Master Benny himself at the piano th-cam.com/video/9l-G4fcoKdg/w-d-xo.html
Sissel Mormon Tabernacle Choir th-cam.com/video/V_MAAS3nOX0/w-d-xo.html
Nina Hagen th-cam.com/video/s7BRhH4GnV4/w-d-xo.html
Madonna th-cam.com/video/fWQTR51hqsk/w-d-xo.html
Oslo gay men's choir does a beautiful version as well.
It is getting more and more exiting!
You - and we - are approaching your reactions to the comeback album of ABBA - Voyage from 2021! Can´t wait for tour opinion on that, Matt!
But before we get to that - I guess the next songs you will react to, are:
Should I Laugh Or Cry - the B-side of One Of Us.
And songs ment for the 9th ABBA album - which never came:
The Day Before You came - a single from 1982
Cassandra - the B-side of The Day Before....
Under Attack - ABBA´s last single (before their comeback)
You Owe Me One - the B-side of Under Attack¨
- and perhaps the last one?: I Am The City - not released until 1994 on the compilation album "More ABBA GOLD".
I always love your reaction videos - so genuine and thorough! ❤
Thank you, appreciate the kind words and looking forward to the extra songs from the end of the original ABBA era. Cheers!
I like the song cos of the calm atmosphere bathing the song. I love it because I can connect to the lyrics as a poet than I am.
The song is poetry set to music. Elements of the poetry "dieing embers warming her face"- dead logs producing heat to warm her cold face - , "an angel passing through her room of gloom"- angels represent beauty, excellence and divinity-
"though she is alone and the outside world is quiet and silent (subdued ) she calls it peaceful solitude"
As a poet, I guess the lyrics speak to Regeneration of life. When One thing is gone, that it is not really gone, it is still there but has turned into something different from its original nature, always serving complementary purposes.
Darkness casts shadows(fear and ugliness) that she notices in the twilight hour (a glimmer of hope ). The death of logs (sadness and grief ) being reborn into fire, light and warmth (comfort and peace).
Madonna did a cover of the song with a much more uptempo beat. Also some orchestral bands have covered the song and gave it a more theatrical quality.
This is why I love this track, it is loaded with imagery which leaves you, as the individual, to interpret as you wish.
A great song even Madonna covered it . One of the bonus tracks has to do with this song . It’s all the process, leading vocals , rythms and working titles it went through ( like all the songs went as well) . Since Benny and Bjorn doesn’t know how to read music Bjorn made quick lyrics in English and gave them a working title just so they remember which song they were working on . In this case they entitled this process “from a twinkling star to a passing Angel” cos one of the stages used twinkle twinkle little star lyrics .
Hi Matt, just wanted to say that they recorded so many different versions of this song, one were with a faster beat and with some harmonies by Agnetha, and also a slower version with backing vocals and and with ominous syth background almost like this. A friend of mine was obsessed with this album and played I Let The Music Speak a couple of times in a row, it was on vinyl and just got up, lift the tone arm and started over.
Amazing Anni-Frid!!!
Hi Matt it’s me popping up again! I haven’t been following your ABBA journey but am a real lover of their music too and when this review caught my eye I had to stop to hear your reaction. It’s one of my all time favourite ABBA songs sung alone by Frida…the only one of their compositions written for a solo voice…as Sissel Kyrkjebo explains on this equally thrilling soprano cover version. th-cam.com/video/J9GSbXsNNe0/w-d-xo.html I really love both versions equally…..💖
Don't forget ABBA Voyage that was recorded in recent years.
So happy to see again with your complete review to the #8 ABBA album
"The Visitors" (1981)
is an album in difficult context due to the separation of Benny & Frida
with no biggest hits like the others
and more deep lyrics
it's called the 'dark side of ABBA'
my favorite song is the most emotional:
"Slipping through my fingers"
with a fantastic lyrics and a beautiful voice of Agnetha in leads
(live at Dick Cavett is more beautiful too)
followed by the heartbroken song
"One of us" (the last Top10 to ABBA in UK, until "Don't shut me down" in 2021)
and another good songs:
"The visitors" (great opening)
"Head over heels" (funny and underrated, with a crazy official video)
"When all is said and done"
(single in U.S.)
I don't like
"Two for the price of one"
and in my personal opinion
"Like an angel passing through my room"
isn't like an ABBA song without the two ladies
and I think that could be included.
"should I laugh or cry"
For many fans here is their best album
In my opinion is 7pts, good and mature, but not in my Top5 of all ABBA albums:
The Album & Arrival (+8pts)
ABBA, Super Trouper & Voyage (7,5pts)
P.S.: not included in my opinion all the bonus tracks, that are B-sides or singles in 1982, and could be part of an unreleased new album in 1982 or 1983
I read the title as "Like an Angel passing wind" and liked ABBA for a moment. Then, reality hit.
I understand you are so close to the end of ABBA’s initial roster of songs. The resulting 39 years, to the average listener, may be considered a huge void but of course anyone who knows ABBA knows that musical output continued by all 4 members for some time to come. I’m not advising you to delve into the girls solo work. It simply does not have the substance that you’ve become accustomed to in your journey. But I would love you to experience a few highlights of where the boys went with their musical genius. 3 songs from the Chess soundtrack come to mind. I consider them to be significant songs in the Bjorn and Benny musical resume. They are simply masterpieces. Pity the Child, Anthem, and Nobody’s Side. They have the power to make your heart swell, your eyes tear, and your skin tingle. In one word, they are BRILLIANT…….and to some degree they put The Visitors into context. When you understand the ideas and concepts that must have been percolating beneath the surface within the boys musical machine……I don’t know……things click. While most of the audience considers The Visitors as a grand swan song it becomes to appear more as a stepping stone or baby step up to what happens next. And what happens next is hugely more mature and spectacular. And then there is the question what happens after Chess? Well, the boys go back to the drawing board and for the most part write and record the missing ABBA album of the 90s. Everything is there……the in-bred child of Dancing Queen and Gimme Gimme Gimme in the form of Midnight Dancer. The sad protagonist of Knowing Me Knowing You becomes untouchable on Surprise Surprise, and we get the sequel to The Day Before You Came with The Film Id Like to See. The unfortunate caveat is that Frida and Agnetha declined to participate and instead the songs are given to Josefin Nillson and the album is called Shapes. Hey, listen…….there’s no way around it…..this is the missing ABBA album. This is what could have been. This deserves a place in the ABBA chronicles. It is so representative of the heart and backbone of ABBA. That being, the songs.
Interesting views, and Shapes? I'd have to finally give in and have a listen of it...
One song I do seriously miss from your Chess list is Where I want to be, plus add Quartet without a doubt. Not that there aren't other interesting songs here and there, but not so overt ABBA comparisons, that great is their legacy.
Best
BTW: Frida actually tried out her talent for opera together with operasinger Filippa Giordano in 2002!
th-cam.com/video/GqOiS7w0kVQ/w-d-xo.html
I love this song and Frida`s sound singing it. You might find this interesting, a demo of them trying doing this song different ways:
th-cam.com/video/5Pceu098Qds/w-d-xo.html
The version beginning at 2:47 sounds really nice.
I think this is quite beautiful and as with a number of tunes on the visitors, the passage of time is a strong theme.
When Abba released snippets of the alturnative versions of this song the disco version was the superior one in my opinion but Bjorn and Benny said it would be like treading old ground as it was like Lay all your love on me.
BTW the next song to listen to is should I laugh or cry ... the other songs were recorded the following year for an album that they never completed but included a couple of corkers.
The only ABBA song with only one singer.
Not quite! Frida isn’t on disillusion.
@@discogarethshe was esp in the harmony in the second verse.
@@badlongon525 she’s not on disillusion. It’s Agnetha alone. Was also confirmed by CMP in the complete recording sessions book in 2017.
@discogareth - Frida sings parts from the second verse. Benny and Bjorn have said that Like An Angel Passing Through My Room is the only ABBA song to feature just one voice
Disillusion is a bl00dy dreadful, drippy song anyway
Another excellent track is 'The Day Before you Came', not on any Album
I feel like they broke up again.
Honesty... these is one of a few ABBA songs that I don't like so much (5pts)
it's only Frida with her great voice, but alone , without chorus ....
is like a song for a soloist, not for a group
I know that The Visitors album (1981) is experimental, but in these album I prefer other songs, like :
Slipping through my fingers
One of us , The Visitors
I see you in next ABBA vídeo
GOD bless you My best regards from
Buenos Aires Argentina 🇦🇷
South America
This one caused them difficulty. Three different version and versions within versions. On one of the later re-releases of The Visitors they have the three versions strung together to show its evolution as a bonus track.
In the end it was much paired back to this released version.
Does it work?
For me, no.
Again, it's one of their more experimental type tracks. The issue for me is it really doesn't go anywhere or amount to anything and remains not much more than a curiosity.
Frida didn't like her vocal and Agnetha doesn't think much of it as a song either.
I think it would sit quite fine as a bridge piece in one of their musicals, but as a standalone pop song, it just doesn't amount to much-for me.
Do you have a proof that Frida and Agnetha said they didn't like the song or just your own fabrication? I'll like you to show some proofs.
@@mobychima1087 The Complete Recording Sessions by Carl Magnus Palm. Agnetha says the track left the listener 'waiting for something that never comes". Frida says "it turned out OK but it's not a favourite".
I have to admit that I'm not really a big fan of Carl Gustav Palm and his books. I would like to know he ever personally talked to the band members or he used the media and their friends as sources for his books.